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The Apostle Paul gave us an important charge. He said: “Always and for everything give thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father” (Ephesians 5:20).
This means going to God in prayer and thanking him for what He has given us. And doing this every day.
The word “thanksgiving” has come to be the name of a holiday we celebrate in November. But it is much, much more than that. It is something we should do every day. The word “thanksgiving” is the expression of gratitude. It means saying thank you to someone who has done something for us. And no one has done more for us than Almighty God.
According to Psalms 100:4, we are to “enter into (God’s) gates with thanksgiving, and into His Courts with praise; be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.”
Thanking God for His many blessings should not be limited to only the good times but also the bad times. When we do this, it gives us the opportunity to demonstrate our faith in God. Thanksgiving will draw our hearts out to God and keep us engaged with him, it will take our attention from ourselves and give the Holy spirit room in our hearts.
Larry Fitzgerald
Woodlawn church of Christ
Abilene, TX